Annual Faith and Choice Forum Set for April 22

ALBANY, NY (04/17/2009)(readMedia)-- The University at Albany student VOX, chapter, Project SHAPE, and Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood (UHPP) will present the sixth annual "Faith and Choice Forum" on Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009 at 7pm in the Assembly Hall of the Campus Center at the University at Albany. The program this year will address the challenges of reproductive technologies, including fertility treatments, surrogate parenthood and stem cell research, from the perspective of faith and reproductive choice.

There will be three forum presenters. Dr. Bill Levering is the Senior Pastor at the First Reformed Church, Schenectady, NY. He is on the Clergy Advisory Board for Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Board of Directors of Planned Parenthood, Mohawk Hudson. Professor Bonnie Steinbock is a philosophy professor at the University at Albany. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in ethics, bioethics, and philosophy of law, as well as graduate courses in public policy and public health. Professor Steinbock is also a member of faculty in Bioethics, Albany Medical College and Union University. Rabbi Dennis S. Ross is the Director of Concerned Clergy for Choice at Family Planning Advocates of New York State, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the access to a full range of reproductive health services.

The goal of the Faith and Choice Forum is to educate and enlighten students about the fact that-media coverage and popular belief to the contrary-many people of faith and many faith institutions are supportive of birth control, medically accurate sex education and reproductive choice; that people of faith including clergy were involved in the struggle for reproductive rights since the beginning of this movement and remain strong and important advocates today. Each year the forum has taken on a different aspect of reproductive health and/or choice, based on student interest.

They University at Albany VOX group is a recognized student organization working to increase awareness among students about sexual health and responsibility and access to reproductive health services and to advocate for reproductive choice. The group does informational tabling, participates in events such as Take Back the Night, and sponsors educational programming.

Supplemental funding for this program has been provided by Spiritual Youth for Reproductive Freedom (SYRF) For more information about the forum contact Blue Carreker, UHPP Vice President for Public Affairs and Marketing at 434-5678 x133 or blue@uhpp.org .

Also helping sponsor the program is the University's Project SHAPE which provides health education program on a variety of topics to students.

Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood (UHPP) is a community-based non-profit organization providing advocacy, education and medical services for reproductive health care since 1934. In 2008, over 11,000 patients made 22,257 visits to UHPP health centers located in Albany, Hudson and Troy. UHPP health educators present over 500 education programs reaching over 6,000 youth and young adults each year. UHPP services are delivered with special concern for the underserved.